Post number 587
Hello, darlings! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, where we journey through time, exploring the wonderful world of leotard fashion. This month, we’re dipping our toes into the Edwardian era, a time of grace, glamour, and - you guessed it - leotards!
Oh, how I love these historic excursions, each trip offering a new wave of leotard inspiration! As I mentioned last month, my latest time-travel spree took me back to the era of frilled petticoats and button boots, landing right smack bang in the heart of London on this very date, 11 November 1907.
I popped out of my sparkling pink time-traveling leotard, right in front of the magnificent, if somewhat dusty, Covent Garden. It was a crisp, autumnal day, the smell of horse dung and fresh baked bread hanging heavy in the air, but my mood was light, and my little pink tutu swished happily with each excited skip!
Right from the get-go, my eye caught the glorious sight of a beautifully ornate music hall on the opposite side of the road. With its glowing red facade and twinkling neon lights, the magnificent Empire Theatre beckoned me with the promise of a wonderful show. I simply had to go inside!
I was delighted to find that the show that night was the world-famous The Belle of New York. I adore a bit of variety theatre! It seems 1907 Londoners were just as keen on glitz and glamour as we are in Derbyshire, even with the threat of the suffrage movement brewing. And, wouldn’t you know it, The Belle of New York boasted no less than 14 dancers and chorus girls all clad in the most decadent leotards! Imagine!
Oh, my darling readers! Those costumes! So exquisite and intricate. Silk satin clung to every curve, intricately adorned with sequined motifs and decadent embellishments, truly the very best in leotard fashion of the day! There were even leotard ensembles inspired by the Indian dancing trend sweeping through London, which sent my heart aflutter.
Now, don't get me wrong, these leotards were a far cry from the chic, form-fitting designs we adore today, but oh, what a feast for the eyes! A symphony of tulle, lace and vibrant satin; it's enough to make any modern ballerina weak at the knees.
The Great Leotard Swap: A Dance Through Time
It’s no secret that time travel allows me to indulge in a spot of leotard fashion experimentation, so naturally, I snuck into the dressing room with a sneaky peek at the dancers’ costume bags.
Now, some of you may find it a touch presumptuous of me, but frankly, dear readers, a leotard is a leotard, and who's to say what happens to fashion items throughout history, right?
And, my dears, what a treasure I stumbled upon! You won’t believe what I did next, but I decided to try a few leotards on for size, swapping a few of my modern day styles with these historical delights.
The dancers, well, they looked a tad apprehensive at first. Let's just say a few whispers of "Who is this pink-clad woman" followed by "She's not wearing boots!*, flew about the room. I’ll be honest, there were some raised eyebrows at my, shall we say, more contemporary fashion sense. After all, who wears a leotard without a little knee-length skirt or trousers, even when on a dance floor, in 1907, I mean?
However, I think my genuine adoration for leotards and passion for ballet transcended the barriers of time and language.
One particularly adventurous chorus girl, her name was Maisie, even joined me for a spontaneous, impromptu dance session in the dressing room. My gosh, I tell you! It was delightful! She was thrilled with my contemporary dance moves, while I was enthralled by the grace and precision of her waltz-style movements, especially since it was done in the most beautiful shimmering emerald green leotard. She told me about a new dance craze they were experimenting with – The Grizzly Bear. Apparently, it's very 'the rage' right now in America and she had been trying to get the The Belle of New York company to embrace the new dance.
Needless to say, she gave my latest time-travelling leotard ensemble - my 'Emma Special’ - a good long stare. It’s my pink, glittery, knee-length number with the frilled tutu - It’s all about getting people talking! We both loved it! We even shared a quick dance to it right then and there. You'd be amazed how many moves from a modern ballet lesson work just fine for a ballroom dance. My advice - keep it simple!
For her part, she gave me one of her leotards to wear on stage for the last act of The Belle of New York.
The The Belle of New York ensemble was in a mix of gorgeous blue satin leotards, the girls in them had long trains for dancing on stage and black feathered head pieces that bounced with each elegant twirl. So many pretty embellishments in an explosion of colours, the stage manager and choreographer looked rather pleased at my stage presence - and the other dancers loved how different and stylish my pink tutu and leotard combination was. It turns out they also really appreciated how I danced like a ballet dancer!
What a night! I simply felt en pointe in a historic theatre in Edwardian London! What a thrilling, magical evening of leotard loveliness, wouldn’t you agree?
As for me, well, after a quick swap back to my trusty sparkling pink time-traveling leotard, I made a dash back to the year 2023! I mean, who doesn’t love a midnight stroll through the Derbyshire countryside? I had just enough time to put together a new leotard creation inspired by my travels back in 1907 and give you, dear reader, some leotard tips before the end of the month.
Leotard Trends from 1907
Just because leotards have changed in style over the years doesn't mean that they aren't just as alluring now as they were back in 1907.
Remember, darlings, embrace the sparkle! It's not just for fairy lights. Don't be afraid of a few extra sequins. They’re oh-so-elegant, especially on a simple black leotard!
And here's a bit of 1907 magic to add to your leotards! I can't promise they will have quite the same impact as the feathered embellishments used in the original productions of The Belle of New York, but the style does live on in many contemporary leotard designs! Try attaching feather boas, some pretty ribbons, even sparkly headbands to complete the 1907 Leotard look. I promise, you’ll make quite a splash on the local dance floor. You could even add some faux pearls and brooches for an extra touch of Edwardian charm!
As for my latest creation – oh, I promise it is worth the wait, darling. I will be posting the reveal of my 1907 'Empire Special' leotard later this week – you just can’t miss this!
Remember to check in every week for more exciting insights into the wonderful world of leotards and join the global community at www.pink-tutu.com. Let’s get everyone wearing a pink tutu!
Until next month, keep those tutus twirling! 💖✨🩰
Love,
Emma xx
